RICHMOND Hill preserves its very own classic movie palace of yore… and this one has a marquee that has at least retained the look it had in its halcyon days, with red neon-lit nameplates and a gold border. The theatre opened as the Keith’s Richmond Hill about 1928 at 117-09 Hillside Avenue just east of Myrtle Avenue. The old marquee, which had been hidden under aluminum siding for some years, was restored in 2001 during production for a feature film, “The Guru.” Until the 1960s, it also hosted stage shows; England’s Dave Clark Five appeared there at the height of their popularity in 1965. Unfortunately the years have not been kind to its ornately constructed interior, though it’s structurally sound. The theatre, which sat over 2200 customers, closed in the 1970s. Next door was Jahn’s, a 1923-vintage ice cream shop, once of a chain started by John Jahn… yes, John Jahn… in the Bronx in 1897.
Current management, which runs the place as a flea market and bingo hall, unfortunately isn’t keen on idlers such as myself coming in and pointing cameras. I squeezed off this shot before being ordered to vacate the premises. Camera wielding strangers are feared and loathed much more than actual troublemakers. The theater’s terra cotta frontage and old marquee have been retained, which doesn’t occur very often with former theaters.
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1/31/24
6 comments
While I was never in the Keith’s Richmond Hill (my home turf included the RKO Keith’s in Flushing), but I enjoyed many a visit to Jahn’s. Of note was “The Kitchen Sink”. It was a massive metal punch bowl that was filled with many scoops of ice cream, loads of bananas, cherries, whipped cream, nuts and sprinkles and was delivered to your table with as many spoons as was needed for everyone in your party to share. In this post-Covid world, such a delight that we experience would set off alarm bells and have the Health Department down on the place!
We had a Jahn’s near us in Eastchester. I remember being there a lot in the early 70’s, and the kitchen sink was so popular it made an appearance in “Fernwood Tonight”.
Cameras are too conspicuous. Try taking pictures with a cell phone. Everyone has a cell phone these days and they seem to be using them
everywhere all the time. Try faking making a phone call and take all the pictures you want. With a little practice you should be able to master
The technique.
The underside of theatre marqees also used to be a show unto themselves.Hundreds and hundreds of
small white bulbs were timed and synchronized to make comet like starbursts and shooting stars every few seconds
to bedazzle and wazzle passerbys.I bet not a single one exists these days.
The Flynn Theatre in Burlington VT has a fully-functioning marquee.
Next door to the theater was Salerno’s Italian Restaurant. After the movie people would go next door for great Italian food, then go to Jahn’s Ice Cream for dessert. Great times.